A
'downed' pig is an animal that is
too sick or injured to be able to walk or keep itself standing upright. And, unsurprisingly, they're
pretty common in factory farms - horrible places where overcrowding, cruelty, and neglect quickly lead to infections, wounds, and general frailty.
And once a pig is 'downed,' it's
particularly vulnerable to abuse from human workers. In an industry that thrives on treating animals like non-sentient objects, a sickly animal becomes a target for the worst kinds of cruelty imaginable.
That's why U.S. Congresswoman Veronica Escobar reintroduced a bill called the Pigs and Public Health Act, which would improve regulations around treatment of downed pigs, ban their slaughter and sale of their meat, and improve transparency. Sign the petition to demand that Congress pass this legislation, now!Undercover reports have shown that workers unleash all sorts of rage and mistreatment on downed pigs - including electrically shocking them, kicking them, dragging them by their legs and arms, and more.
Rep. Escobar's bill is important to protect the welfare of innocent, captive animals. It's also important in order to keep humans safe.
Zoonotic diseases spread rapidly in the same factory farm conditions that create downed pigs. Then, the situation builds on itself. Not only are these unwell animals more likely to contract a disease, but they're also more likely to spread them. It's an ideal breeding ground for pathogens.
And those pathogens then end up being spread to humans if the animal is slaughtered and eaten. We absolutely must prevent the spread of swine flu or any other foodborne illnesses. Why in the world would the U.S. allow farmers to sell the meat of sickly animals? It seems like an obvious no-brainer, and something that should
already be illegal.
Sign the petition to demand that the U.S. Congress protect public health and also improves treatment of downed pigs!